Trials of Courage
by Artemicion
Summary: Tai is sick of being the third wheel of his best friends' romance and his life in Odaiba. He decides to go with Davis and Jun on thieir summer vacation to America. Little does he know, something terrible is about to threaten the existence of all.


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Trials of Courage

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or it's characters. Can you imagine how rich I'd be if I did? Unfortunately, I have…$2.56 in my pocket. ::Sigh:: Anyway, I don't own em'. Don't sue.

Author's Notes: Wow, it's been a while since I've written anything! I can't believe I'm actually sitting here with an idea that I thought would be interesting since it's been a few months since anything was truly appealing. This fic has Sorato, Kenyako, and Takari in it (even though I'm not really that smitten on these couples), but it's about my courage boys Tai and Davis. It takes place about two years after the kids' defeat Malo Myotismon. I hope you like it!

Chapter 1: The Third Wheel

Tai Kamiya sighed and gazed with bored eyes out of the window of the small café. Across from him, his two best friends Sora Takenouchi and Matt Ishida were totally oblivious of his presence, lips locked in a tight kiss. Even when they parted for air, they'd just remain sitting comfortably in each other's arms and stare dreamily into the other's eyes. It was as if Tai wasn't even there. Just like all the other times.

_Get a room!_ Tai thought as Matt whispered something into Sora's ear and she giggled lightly. He immediately felt guilty as soon as he thought it. Part of his resentment was out of jealousy, he knew. Matt and Sora had both faced traumatic family lives and found strength and comfort in each other when they had met as Digidestined. They were both happy and as long as that was there, Tai was more than happy to let them sit there forever.

But enough was enough.

For the past few years since Matt and Sora had started dating, Tai barely ever saw them anymore. Whenever he finally did get to spend some time with either of them, it would be ruined because they would invite the other along, thinking that Tai wouldn't mind. He never showed it, but it was really starting to get on his nerves. It wasn't because of Sora specifically anymore; he'd long since gotten over her. The problem was that he practically never got to spend anytime with them at all and it bothered him that their friendship was slipping away on his end.

_I wonder if any of the others feel this way too._ Tai wondered. He glanced away from the window to see Sora move in for another deep, passionate kiss from her boyfriend. A frown rose to his lips. _Forget this. I'm out of here!_

Tai threw some money onto the table to pay for his meal and then got up. The sound of the chair scraping against the floor got his friends' attention enough for them to stop making out and look up at him curiously.

"Tai?" Matt asked as if he just realized that Tai had been sitting there the whole time. It only made Tai angrier. "Where are you going? I thought you wanted to go see a movie."

Fighting to control the anger and keep it out of his voice, Tai replied, "Nah, don't worry about it, Matt. I just remembered that I promised Agumon that we'd go get some triple fudge sundaes. I'll see you two later."

"Tai, are you sure-" Sora began but Tai cut her off.

"Yeah. I'm out of here. See ya'," Tai said and pivoted to walk away. He felt a sense of freedom wash over him as he stepped out into the warm night. It was ridiculous, but Tai often felt his problems with Matt and Sora disappear whenever he left from their presence and entered a place of solitude. In this case, it was just being outside in the warm summer night air.

Tai glanced back into the café and found that the two were now sitting across from each other hands still grasping the other's. Sora in the spot where Tai had just been sitting, and they were talking and smiling. Hurt that quickly turned into anger welled up in him. They had been waiting for him to leave so they could spend time together when it was his idea to go to the café to hang out in the first place!

Gritting his teeth, Tai turned and stalked away from the café. He walked quickly to get away. This was turning into a typical night spent with Matt and Sora: being brushed aside and feeling like a third wheel. As Tai walked, lost in thought, he noticed that he was passing by the apartment building in which another Digidestined named Davis Motomiya lived.

_I really don't feel like going home. I think I'll go see what Davis is up to._ Tai thought and changed the course of his direction. He took the elevator up to the floor where the Motomiyas' apartment was and knocked on the door when he got there.

The door swung open to reveal Davis's older sister Jun. On her head lay her Digimon partner Terriermon, his floppy ears hanging down on both sides of Jun's face like a hat. Jun had an annoyed expression on her face but smiled when she saw Tai.

"Hey Tai. What's up?" Jun asked and stepped aside, allowing Tai to come in.

"Hey Tai! Didja bring any food? Didja?" Terriermon piped up eagerly.

"Terriermon! Where are your manners?" Jun scolded, looking up with a disapproving expression.

"Oh! Um…you mean that yellow fruit thing with the slippery peal? Ooh! Those are good!" the Digimon exclaimed.

"Manners! Not bananas!" Jun shrieked.

"Oh…" Terriermon paused for a second. "What were we talking about again?"

Tai laughed when Jun gave a cry of frustration. It was always amusing to watch how Davis's energetic, boy-crazed sister dealt with her Digimon. Terriermon had appeared to Jun a few days after Malo Myotismon's defeat. She had had trouble, as had everyone else who had received his or her Digimon partners, at first, but now she seemed very used to it. It was a very good thing considering that Terriermon was a very mischievous and playful Digimon.

"Where's Davis?" Tai asked after his laughing fit.

"In his room. Last time I saw him, he and DemiVeemon were still arguing over whether blue or green was the better color," Jun said and flopped down on the couch. Tai chuckled as he walked off because he heard Terriermon's protests at Jun's action that had caused him to fall off of her head.

"Davis?" Tai called as he opened the door to Davis's room.

"The sky is blue! That itself proves blue is a much better color!" Davis was saying fiercely to DemiVeemon.

"So? The grass is green! You can eat grass so green is much better!" DemiVeemon argued.

"Eww! Why would I want to eat grass?" Davis said, looking disgusted. "The oceans are blue so it must be the better color or else it wouldn't be that color!"

"Green is prettier!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

Their utterly pointless argument could have gone on for hours if Tai had not started laughing. A trip to the Motomiya household was always interesting. His brooding mood was starting to lift already.

"Huh? Oh, hey Tai! How long have you been standing there?" Davis asked, getting to his feet. DemiVeemon scampered into Davis's arms and peered at him curiously with his adorable eyes.

"Long enough to see that you need to get out more, Davis," Tai teased, chuckling.

Davis exchanged questioning glances with his Digimon before looking back at Tai. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Tai shook his head. "Nevermind."

"Okay," Davis shrugged. "So what are you doing here? I thought you and Matt were going to hang out for a while."

Tai's improved mood immediately faded. "Well, we were. But then Sora showed up and, well, you know what happened."

"They started making out," Davis sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Precisely," Tai answered. Out of everyone on the Digidestined team, only Davis knew how Tai felt about his situation with Matt and Sora. He often faced it himself with his friends, the other Digidestined. Tai and Davis had become good friends over the years and Tai felt himself warming to the strange but very loving Motomiya family. There were things that he confided only in Davis and vise versa. It was like having a great little brother. And Davis knew how Tai felt because he had gone through the same thing when Ken had started dating Yolei and started spending less time with him.

Tai looked over at Davis's bed and noticed an open suitcase suddenly. "What are you doing, Davis?"

"Packing. Jun and I are getting ready to go to America to visit our uncle on Monday and staying for the summer," Davis said.

"Your uncle? You mean that director in Hollywood that you were telling me about?" Tai asked.

Davis nodded. "That's him. Jun and I always go visit him some time each year. He's really great. My favorite uncle!"

Tai grinned half-heartedly. He had forgotten all about the Motomiya siblings' annual vacation to the United States. Now who was he going to hang out with all summer?

"Hey Tai," Davis said suddenly. "You should try to asking your parents to let you come with us."

This surprised Tai. "What?"

"My uncle said that he's going to be spending less time with us than usual because he's shooting some movie right now. He said that if we wanted, we could invite a few friends and all the expenses are paid. Dude, it's like a free vacation!" Davis beamed.

"Oooh! You and Agumon should come, Tai!" DemiVeemon squeaked. "Uncle Lance is really nice! He has a really big house with lots and LOTS of food!"

"DemiVeemon, I don't think Tai eats as much as you. Besides, you, Terriermon, and Mushroomon always eat everything before anyone else can dig in anyway," Davis said fondly to his Digimon partner.

"I'm a growing Digimon!"

"If you say so, pal." Davis looked at Tai. "So, Tai, what do you say?" 

The idea was very appealing to Tai. The last time he had been to America, it had been to visit Mimi in New York. That had been a while back.

"Hmm, you know what Davis?" Tai grinned. "That's not a bad idea. In fact, I'll be right back."

"No problem, man. You know the door's always open," said Davis good-naturedly.

Tai quickly left the Motomiya apartment. The thought of travelling to America for the summer, away from Odaiba, away from his boring life, and especially away from Matt and Sora's sickeningly sweet relationship really interested him. A change of scenery was an excellent idea for what bothered him.

_And it's not like there won't be anyone I don't know there. Davis and Jun will be there so it's all good. _Tai smiled to himself, excitement filling him. _I hope mom and dad say yes. This is going to be a blast!_

A/N: Man, I haven't written any Digimon fics in such a long time. Well, am I getting rusty? What do you guys think? Read and Review!


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